X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Ranking The Top Fantasy Receiving Corps - AFC North

What Appears In This Article? hide

We continue our ranking of every NFL team's receiving corps with a focus on the AFC North. If you're keeping track, each piece dives into one division at a time followed by a conference ranking before ultimately settling on a full #1-32.

This week's edition will be very top-heavy with the #1 spot going to an obvious favorite. Still, there are some other fantasy options to be had albeit to a much smaller degree. Since we're still in May, expect the usual pre-season changes to cause some fluctuation as we get closer to September. Let's keep it going.

Keep tabs on Rotoballer's NFL page for the latest reaction and analysis to free agent moves in order to stay ahead of the game.

 

AFC North Receiver Ranks

4. Cleveland Browns

1) Corey Coleman
2) Kenny Britt
3) Rashard Higgins
4) Ricardo Louis

Oh boy, do the Cleveland Browns have an undesirable situation at wide receiver. You can effectively throw out the bottom two here with Rishard Higgins and Ricardo Louis. The odds of either of them stepping up into any sort of meaningful fantasy role in 2017 are beyond a long shot. It's safe to just move right along to Corey Coleman and Kenny Britt.

Not only is this the Browns we're talking about, one of the more unpredictable teams to begin with, but the combo of Coleman and Britt is a tough one to figure out. On one hand you have Coleman, the presumed incumbent No. 1 receiver due to team seniority. On the other, recent signee Kenny Britt has the tools to overtake the top spot as early as week one. In fact, Britt was actually a very underrated fantasy asset in 2016. He put up WR3/flex worthy numbers on a Rams team that was absolutely dreadful on all offensive fronts. The unfortunate truth here is that this is one of those situations that is pretty much impossible to foresee.

Coleman only played in 10 games last year with a low total of 413 yards with three touchdowns. Britt matched that TD total in Los Angeles but racked up 701 yards in the process. The best bet is to avoid this situation altogether but if you really want some deep, deep fantasy value, look to the more proven and underrated Britt for possible flex value.

3. Baltimore Ravens

1) Mike Wallace
2) Breshad Perriman
3) Chris Moore
4) Chris Matthews

Once again we find ourselves in a situation where the lower half of the depth chart is simply useless for fantasy purposes. Chris Moore and Chris Matthews combined for a grand total of 100 yards in 2016. Nothing else to see here.

Breshad Perriman had some potential as a 2016 rookie but never really broke through. He only managed 499 yards and three scores on 33 receptions. It was a far cry from useful fantasy production by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, some newfound holes in the offense might open up some new opportunities for Perriman. The No. 2 receiver by default, Perriman is going to have to produce in terms of real life NFL football if the Ravens want to make any sort of noise on offense. You won't want to draft Perriman too early in redraft leagues but definitely keep your eye on him later on as he could make a great value pick.

Mike Wallace has himself a clear path to being a useful WR2 for fantasy in 2017. In fact, he actually put up WR2 numbers this past season even with Steve Smith on the field. Wallace has always been a boom-or-bust player with blazing speed hampered by hands of stone. Think of him as a poor man's DeSean Jackson with better health. Wallace is definitely worthy of a mid-to-late round selection in most leagues although he does have the potential to be over drafted. There's a good chance an owner might outsmart himself by thinking Mike Wallace is poised for a huge year since he's locked into the top spot on a desperate offense. The more likely scenario, however, is that the Ravens continue to struggle on that side of the ball with Wallace being moderately useful.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

1) A.J. Green
2) Brandon LaFell
3) John Ross
4) Tyler Boyd

Finally we find ourselves in a situation to talk about some more significant fantasy weapons. Despite an injury plagued 2016, A.J. Green is still locked in as a WR1 for the upcoming fantasy season. The correct approach in analyzing Green's outlook is to look at his previous few years when he was able to stay on the field. In 2015, Green had a line of 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns on 86 receptions. Outside of last year, Green has never dipped lower than 1,000 receiving yards or six touchdowns. There's no worries about his 2017 outlook.

Brandon LaFell might be listed as No. 2 on the depth chart but John Ross is the name you want to shift your attention to. LaFell has shown some flashes of productivity but he's never really maintained consistent fantasy value. LaFell had upside in Carolina and New England before ending up in Cincinnati. Wherever he's gone, however, he's been a far cry from reliable. Rookie John Ross has a big opportunity to be a legit option for Andy Dalton, locking them into a solid one-two punch for NFL purposes. As far as fantasy is concerned, Ross is going to have to exceed rookie expectations in order to make your lineup. He's more of a dynasty league prospect who deserves a deep look in redraft leagues.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

1) Antonio Brown
2) Martavis Bryant
3) JuJu Smith-Schuster
4) Sammie Coates

A surprise to no one, the Pittsburgh Steelers claim the top spot in the AFC North's wide receiver analysis. The Steelers have the luxury of having one of the most talented receivers in the NFL on their roster in Antonio Brown. I don't need to tell you that Antonio could easily be the first receiver off the board in every format. He was top-five in every receiving category that matters with only Larry Fitzgerald ahead of him in terms of total receptions. There really isn't much else that needs to be said about Brown.

Martavis Bryant returns from a year-long suspension where he slides back into the No. 2 role. Bryant will have to keep himself out of trouble to be a factor in fantasy, but obviously we'll have to assume he does so. Prior to his suspension, Bryant had a knack for finding the end zone with 14 touchdowns over the course of 21 games. Always a candidate for being over-drafted, Bryant should be viewed as a high-end WR3/flex play with considerable upside. Outside of the chance for more drug issues, Bryant is poised for a big year.

Technically speaking, Bryant does have some competition from JuJu Smith-Schuster as far as target share is concerned, JuJu could even challenge Bryant for second on the depth chart should Bryant run into some rust. The more likely scenario, though, is JuJu putting up good enough numbers to be useful in fantasy even in his rookie year. It's rare that a team has the potential to boast three receivers who can contribute in fantasy but the Steelers definitely have an opportunity to do so. Sammie Coates is likely to be the odd man out barring an injury to one of the top three and Eli Rogers will see time in the slot, but isn't a big threat. Overall, expect some massive firepower from the Pittsburgh offense in 2017.

 

Be sure to keep up with the rest of this series to see how our rankings shake out, starting with the AFC East.


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel6 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray6 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele6 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons8 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler8 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson8 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele8 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle8 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans8 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic8 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney9 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga9 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant9 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith9 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen9 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara9 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele9 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes9 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson9 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic9 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar9 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton9 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert9 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones9 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji10 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey10 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee10 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards10 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani10 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson10 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo10 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley10 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque10 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez11 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler11 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel11 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley11 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal12 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes12 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis12 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer14 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw14 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler14 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager14 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz14 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds16 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano18 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad19 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov19 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto19 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin19 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard19 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins19 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist20 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear20 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT3 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn3 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More